Vapor-heating system



VAPOR HEATING SYSTEM Filed March 7, 192 7 INVENTOR momasfiJa/wes 3 BYWM Patented Apr. 7,, 15931 "are.

THOMAS JARVIES, KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI VAPOR-HEATING SYSTEM Application. filed March 7, 1927. Serial No. 173,453.

My invention relatesto vapor heating sys trolling the pressure Withina 2-pipe vapor vacuum system. I

Various kinds of valves and traps are well known in the industry for permitting air to depart from a system under pressure of a vaporv created in a boiler, and for partly or temporarily restraining the atmosphere from entry so that the vapor may be moved against a minimum of air resistance and mixture of air with the vapor maybe avoided. So far as I am aware, any system that provides an initially'efi'ective means of disposing of the air in a system, employs valves in thereturn line and -on radiators that open when the temperature at the valves'decreases, and permit air to enter the system; or employs combination valves, one part closing under outside atmospheric pressure to hold a vacuum in the system and opening when steam pressure rises, and another part closing when steam temperature rises to a predetermined degree: Both classes of systems are there fore constructed on the assumptionthat when a fire is started there will be no vacuum in the system and air must be removed from the system. In other words, heretofore the industry has anticipated that there will be no vacuum or partial vacuum in the system after the boiler has stood cold for a period.

The means by which I accomplish my object comprises positively actuated mechanism adapted to effectively reduce the air content of a system and preserve a vacuum or partial vacuum indefinitely and to operate in a' system in which pressure belowatmosphere' persists indefinitely, so that steam may be produced at relatively low temperature in the furnace upon resumption of firing after the system has been cold for a relatively long period.

My device comprises chiefly means for the conduction ofair and Vapor from the radiators of a system to a Weighted valve positioned above the water line of the boiler, the

0 valve havinganactuating arm movable by a member controlled by the pressure of the steam in the system, the disposition being such that a predetermined steam pressure opens the weighted valve to release air from the system and coincidentally causes the closing of the damper to reduce heat production, a reduction-in steam pressure to a predeteri mined degree resulting coincidently in the closing of the weighted valve to prevent escape of steam and the opening of the damper to increase heat production; I provide also, and particularly for systems having extensive pipe installation, an air pressure tank or accumulating reservoir, interposed in the return line the tank having an outlet to atmosphere controlledby a weighted" valve.

functioningthereof, will be more particularly described with reference to the drawing, in which the single figure represents a steam heating system installed in a building.

the risers, 7 valves in the risers for controlling flow of steam, 8 and 9 the radiators nearer the boiler, 10 and llthe radiators distant from the boiler, 12 the return lines from the radiators connected for convenience and discharging at 13 into the return main drop 14 connected to the boiler below water line. Drip pipes 15 and 16 connected with the steam main lead back to theboil'er, entering it at lower openings, the drip pipe 15 ,being for convenience connected into the main drop" I A relief or exhaust valve 17 is provided, as will be more fully described, adjacent the boiler and above the water line, for outlet of the air and vapor conducted through the return pipes 12,-the valve being operable by'a lever arm 18 on which is suspended a weight 19, the installation being arranged so that the lever arm may be swungupwardly to openthe valve, while the weight tends to hold the valve closed. The valve weight is lifted and the arm end raised for opening the valve, by means operating as will now be described.

Connected'with the steam dome 4 is a regu- Preferred structure of my device, and the lator 20 subject to pressure of the steam in the dome, its adjustably weighted lever arm 21 tilting on the fulcrum 22 and attached at 23 to a chain 2 1-. One end of the chain is secured to the door or damper 3, and its other end is secured to the end of the weighted valve lever arm 18, tie chain passing over pulleys 25 supported from the building. The regulator normally supports the damper in open position. I

A predetermined degree-of steampressure will therefore actuate the regulator 2-0 to move the chain to lift the weighted valve arm 18 to open the valve andat the same time to permit the damper to move to closed position. The efilcient operation of the heating system above described, the valve 17'being considered as normally closed under influence of the weight, comprises the generation of water vaporby the starting of a fire under the boiler, the driving of the cold air out of the pipes and radiators by the vapor, to the lower level of the valve to which the colder and heavier air naturally will be inclined to travel, the opening of the valve by the pressure of the vapor acting on the regulator, arm 21, chain 24, and valve lever 18, the departure of the air through the open valve 17.

The increase of steam pre lator 20 that causes'the actuation of the valve 17, opening it, also results in the closin of the damper 3. from one position to another is gradual, so that the valve 17 may be partly open and the draft damper also partly open at the same time. Vhen the steam pressure reaches a calculated maximum, the valve 17 is completely open and the damper completely closed.

The effect of the steps above described is that the air is substantially completely exhausted from the entire system, and steam may appear issuing from the valve.

The next step in the process, which continues automatically is the reduction of vapor pressurebecause of the lowering of the heat production through the closing of the damper. The lowering of pressure relieves the reg ulator, whereupon the falling weight 19 pulls on the chain 24 to lift and open the draft damper, and incidentally to restore the regulator to normal position. The opening of the damper causes increase in heat and steam production, which as in the case of opposite actuation is gradual.

The process thus described includes a series of cycles, that may be more or less rapidly executed. However, in practice, a balance or condition of stability becomes established automatically, with the damper open and the valve closed, whereby a low degree of heat production causes a continuous supply of vapor of relatively low temperature, for example 133, under relatively low pressure, to be continually discharged from the steam dome into the mains, risers and radiators.

heating vapor -to the system.

are on the regu- The movement of each element The structure and operation thereof 7 are therefore, as disclosed, such that when steam production is suspended, fire drawn, and a period permitted to elapse, and a new fire in'ade and steam production resumed, the relatively low degree of heat production, and of vapor generation that had marked the effective functioning of the system during its previous period of operation, is sufficient to establish the distribution of eifectively The result occurs because of the absence of air in the pipes and the system, the valve 17 being effectually and'posit-ively closed, and the entire system being atmosphere-tight, as I specially require and claim, and the air having been exhausted therefrom through the first period of operation as related, so that vapormay be released under relatively low water temperature and a low or moderate fire, thereby obviating high temperatures that otherwise would be necessary to remove the air from the system.

I further provide, particularly for structures to be heated having radiators remote from the boiler, a pressure tank or accumulating reservoir 26, connected to the return adjacent the boiler and above the water line between the valve 17 and the boiler, the lines delivering air and vapor to the tank through the inlet pipe 27, and the valve 17 being connected with the tank through the outlet pipe 28. The tank receives air driven fromthe several returns from radiators, and retains it, accumulating air driven by-hot vapor from nearby radiators pending the travel. of air thereto from moredistant radiators, so that pressure will not "become great dough to actuate the regulator to open the valve until a substantially large proportion of the air inthe entire systemhas been deposited in the tank. Air from nearby radiators is relatively quickly propelled to the valve and if immediately emitted, would be followed by vapor and the wastage of vapor and pressure, while vapor is more tardily acting on air in distant parts of the system. In apparatus using solid fuel the valve is preferably ,wei hted to maintain a vacuum of approximately 25 inches of mercury less than atmosphere'and a vapor of 133 temperature may be produced under a low degree of heat, and 100 temperature maybe produced under 29 inches of mercury less than atmosphere.

l/Vhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1,. In a heating system including a boiler, a fire box having a draft damper and a circuit including a supply main, a radiator, a return line and a return main drop, a pipe connected to the main drop and providing an air outlet for the system, a valve in the outlet, a lever arm for operating the valve, a weight on the arm tending to closethe valve, a chain having one end connected to the arm and the other end connected to the damper whereby the weight mayimove the damper from draft checking position when said weight moves the lever arm toward valve closing position, and a regulator havingan arm connected'to said chain and normally permitting the weight to open the damper, the regulator being influenced by vapor pressure generated in the boiler to lift the weight and permit the damper to move to closed position.

2. In a vapor heating system comprising a boiler, a fire box having a draft damper adapted to close by gravity, a riser, a radiator, and a return, a pipe connected to the return abovethe waterline, a valve in the pipe having an operating lever arm, a weight on said arm adapted to close the valve, means for opening the valve against the influence of the Weight comprising a regulator lever, a chain attached to the valve lever arm and to said regulator lever, and a regulator influ- I enced by vapor pressure of a predetermined value above atmosphere in the system for actuating the regulator lever to depress the chain and raise the weight to open the valve, said chain being connected to said draft damper whereby the damper is moved toward open position by said weight when the vapor pressure falls below ,said predetermined value. e

3. In a vapor heating system comprising a vapor generator, and circulating pipes and radiators, sealed to resist entrance of air for maintaining a reduced-pressure condition produced by condensation of said vapor, means automatically operating under pres-v sure ofvapor produced by the generator to vent air from the pipes and radiators comprising a' member providing an outlet from the system to the atmosphere, a valve in the outlet, a lever on the valve adapted to close the valve to prevent entry of'outside air into the system, a regulator connected with the vapor generator influencedby the pressure of said vapor, andmeans connecting the regulator with thevalve lever sothat vapor pressure acting on the regulator may thereby actuate the lever to open the valve.

In testimony THOMAS B. JARVIES.

whereofI aflix my signature. 

